Sport minister Helen Grant fails to answer single question correctly in TV quiz

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She is Britain’s Minister for sport, a former judo champion and recently told The Independent that sport was in her DNA. But Helen Grant’s sporting credential fell spectacularly short in a quiz when she failed to answer a single question correctly - including the name of the FA cup title holders and this year’s Wimbledon women’s champion.

ITV Meridian asked the MP for Maidstone five sports questions, including the name of the current FA cup title holders, this year’s Wimbledon women’s champion and the identity of the current England rugby union captain.

In an excruciating couple of minutes, Ms Grant attempted to answer all of them, but answered none correctly. Grant also did not know when Maidstone United had left the football league and which Paralympic competitor had won more gold medals than any other.

Few doubt that Ms Grant has shown sporting talent, becoming captain of the school tennis and hockey teams, and representing the county in hockey, tennis, athletics, and cross country, according to her parliamentary website.

Ms Grant said: "I wasn't told there was going to be a quiz thrown in at the end of an interview for local television at a grassroots sport event in my constituency on Saturday night.

“If I'd known I would have done some proper revision. My sports pub quiz knowledge may not be encyclopaedic but I completely understand the positive impact that participating in sport has on people's lives. That's why I was there on Saturday, to help switch on Maidstone Hockey Club's new floodlights that will mean more young people can use the facilities all through the year.”